Things That Make Me Happy -- #4: Stargazing

Every Friday I'll be posting about one thing that makes me happy in order to complete goal #82: Identify 100 things that make me happy.

Today's topic is: Stargazing

(WALL-E ©Disney/Pixar)

When I was a kid I wanted to be an astronaut. True, I also wanted to be a firefighter, a teacher, a cop, a secretary, a paleontologist, an ice skater, and Alexi Lalas. But nothing has kept me as fascinated or as in awe as the stars have. Some of my happiest moments have been spent looking up at the night sky, wondering at the beauty of the universe and marveling at the awesomeness of science.

My grandfather took my sister and I to go look at Hale-Bopp in '97 and I can remember being ridiculously excited as I peered through the binoculars at the trail of the comet. Much later, when I was in college, he and I went deep into the country and pulled over to the side of the road to try and catch a meteor shower. Even though we didn't see any meteors, the sheer magnitude of stars in the sky was breathtaking.

It isn't just stars or comets that fueled my passion for looking at the sky. In high school my family took my friend Kristy to Beaver Meadow's observatory so that we could all use a telescope to see Saturn and Uranus. It's humbling to know that there are objects orbiting around our sun that are so large that your own puny planet could fit inside of them...several times.

The universe is staggering and staggeringly beautiful. Wherever I am, whether it's in the middle of a light-polluted city or standing in a field in the middle of nowhere, I like to look up at the stars and see how many I can find/identify. It's a peaceful sort of feeling and an exciting one. I don't need a religion or any other outdated mode of explaining the world to appreciate what I'm seeing. I think it's even more impressive that the universe had no creator and that natural, scientific processes are responsible for the beauty around us.
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Woah, one full week of posts. Can I do it again next week? Only time will tell. :)

-J

Things That Make Me Happy -- #3: Thunderstorms

Every Friday I'll be posting about one thing that makes me happy in order to complete goal #82: Identify 100 things that make me happy.

Today's topic is: Thunderstorms

Okay, first, I had no idea how hard it was going to be to find a video of a thunderstorm. There are a lot out there but none of them are very good. So the video above is of a virtual thunderstorm. Which is a bit lame, but beggars can't be choosers.

I've had an obsession with thunderstorms ever since I was a child. I love all of it--the lightning, the thunder, the wind, the rain. There's just something inherently powerful and alluring about them. I remember nights when my grandmother and I would sit in the living room and watch storms out the window. I remember sitting on the covered porch in my old dorm, listening to the rain pound on the pavement as the wind whipped through the trees.

I can't say that I'm a fan of driving in them, but I can never resist the urge to sit at home and watch them. On my birthday last month, there was a huge thunderstorm in the Rochester area, with torrential downpours and lots of lightning to boot. Don and I watched primarily out of the window, but (being a little bit nuts) I spent a few minutes outside standing in the rain, feeling the wind rush around me. There's nothing quite like that feeling.

Also, if you're ever looking for a good song to listen to during a thunderstorm, I've definitely got a recommendation:

E Nomine's "Mitternacht" goes really well with creepy, stormy nights. Don't believe me? Find the thunderstorm sound clip of your choice and play this at the same time. Fan-freaking-tastic.

-J

Things That Make Me Happy -- #2: Car Karaoke

Every Friday I'll be posting about one thing that makes me happy in order to complete goal #82: Identify 100 things that make me happy.

Today's topic is: Car karaoke

I've been singing since I was a toddler. Apparently my mother once walked into the room to find me in my playpen rocking out to "Do Wah Diddy." I haven't stopped rocking since. Music is a huge part of my life (in addition to singing in playpens I also play the viola) and never fails to make me feel better--no matter how much my day has sucked. Nowhere is this more the case than in my car. When I'm out driving somewhere (or, even, just aimlessly wandering back roads in order to de-stress), I'm either doing one of two things: listening to NPR or blasting music and singing my head off.

If you ever pass me on the road you're likely to hear one of these songs blaring from my open window as I sing along:

1) "Allo Paris" by Mano Solo (Yes, I can sing/speak French.)

2) "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen

3) "Demon Kitty Rag" by Katzenjammer

4) "Henrietta" by The Fratellis

5) "Dilli Düdük" by Tarkan (And I can sing in Turkish. I just wish I could speak it.)

-J

Things That Make Me Happy -- #1: British Comedy

Every Friday I'll be posting about one thing that makes me happy in order to complete goal #82: Identify 100 things that make me happy.

Today's topic is: British comedy

Via markandrewholmes.com

Growing up, I was a big PBS kid. In addition to Sesame Street, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, and Reading Rainbow, I also used to watch Britcoms with my grandparents. Ever since then I've preferred them over American television shows. The humor is better, the social commentary is more biting and prescient, and the shows are of a higher quality all around. Today, nothing makes me laugh harder or make me feel better than a good Britcom. Here are a few of my favorites (in no particular order):

1) As Time Goes By

Via BBC

As Time Goes By follows the story of Jean (the ever-fabulous Judi Dench) and Lionel (Geoffrey Palmer), former lovers who reunite decades after they first met. A funny, romantic, and brilliant love story, I grew up watching this with my grandparents. The humor is a huge selling point, but it's really the characters and their interactions that made this one of my favorite Britcoms. Jean and Lionel are really sweet together and the working relationship between the somewhat-uptight Lionel and the mildly-annoying-but-eager-to-please Alistair is hilarious.

2) Monty Python's Flying Circus

Via Wikipedia

I discovered Monty Python my freshman year of high school, but it wasn't until college that I actually watched Flying Circus. While the fourth season is, frankly, awful, the first three seasons of this show are incredible. Whether they're learning how to defend themselves against fresh fruit, having an argument, or just taking a walk, Monty Python's humor is smart, surreal, and, often, sexy (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).





3) Black Books

Via Channel 4

This show is actually brand-spanking new to me. As in, I discovered it earlier this week. Black Books follows the strange day-to-day adventures of Bernard Black (Dylan Moran), a misanthropic drunk of bookseller; his hapless shop assistant, Manny (Bill Bailey); and their friend Fran (Tamsin Greig), a woman who can hold her liquor about as well as she can hold onto a man (sorry, love, but it's true). The show is hysterical, which is all thanks to snappy dialogue, an ingenious cast, and the wacky situations that the brilliant writers (Moran among them) put these strangely lovable characters into.

4) Waiting for God

Via GPB

Tom (Graham Crowden), who often seems a few sausages short of an English breakfast, and Diana (Stephanie Cole), who hates everything and everyone, are living in a retirement village run by a complete nincompoop and his too-cheerful assistant. The two form an odd friendship/romantic relationship that allows them to survive the absurdity of life while they wait for the end of it all. Insanely funny and featuring two of the greatest characters ever to suffer inside an old folks' home, Waiting for God is one of those shows that makes you wish American television would realize that actors don't need to be young and "hip" to bring in an audience.

5) Russell Howard's Good News

Via Funri

I know there are going to be people out there who are thinking, "Wait, really? There are way better topical news shows out there." My response is, "Yeah, don't care. I love this guy." Known to many as a former panelist on Mock the Week (which is also one of my favorites, but I'm limiting myself to five), Russell Howard's very own show on the telly combines his childish humor with news of the week and internet clips. Why I find this to be an effective way to run a show is beyond me, but I think it's hilarious. I think a huge part of it is that he points out the genuine stupidity of the human race while still reminding us that there are great people out there doing amazing things (the "Mystery Guest" and "It's Not All Doom and Gloom" segments of his show). Plus, and I feel really shallow saying this, I can't help but think he's the most ridiculously adorable thing in the world.


What are some of your favorite Britcoms? Share them in the comments section.

-J